Book: Stand For Something or Stand For Nothing by Ebony Jones-Kuye

Ebony Jones-Kuye

about this book: My book is about my mother and I fighting poverty, harsh treatment by family, losing my brother due to gangs, my mother having to deal with physical disabilities, and us having to take a stand against former NBA Clippers owner Donald Sterling from 2002-2005.

• What inspired you to write this book?
My mother inspired me to write this book. I have been wanting to share this story for a while but didn't get the courage to open up until last year after my press conference with Gloria Allred.

• How did you come up with the title?
I came up with the title due to us having to stand up and not giving up during the court case.

• Why did you choose this cover?
I decided to go with this book cover because I wanted to come out of hiding and show my face.

• What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The hardest part of writing this book was revealing personal secrets our lives and sharing it with the world. Going deep inside myself and being open about things that no one ever knew.

• Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
I learn so much about myself while writing my book. I learn that I am strong and that there is nothing to ever be ashamed about in trying to use my story to help someone else.

• What do you want to say to your readers?
I want my readers to know that you will struggle through life but you will pull through it with faith and belief in yourself.

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"Ebony Jones-Kuye's autobiography, Stand For Something or Stand For Nothing, is a frank and moving account of her life growing up in the 1970s and '80s in Los Angeles. This nonfiction account reads beautifully, and, at times, I marvelled at the author's skill in telling her story in such a way that the reader is drawn into everything that happened to her and her mother. I mourned at the news of Chucky's passing and cheered as Ebony's intellectual accomplishments were recognized in primary and secondary school. The section of her story that is referred to in the title, namely, the housing battle with Donald Sterling, who essentially denied services to tenants on the grounds of race, reads like a legal thriller. Jones-Kuye states that she wants her story to be an inspiration for others, and, to my mind, she has succeeded brilliantly. Her story is compelling, inspiring and very readable. Stand For Something or Stand For Nothing is most highly recommended (5 Stars)."
— Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite